Not quite a native Ripley Countian - she attended only her last year of high school in Doniphan though she taught in the R-1 system for 32 years - Teresa (Pearson) Lee delights in surprising readers and herself with anecdotal observations of life in general. Maybe you can blame her St.Louis roots for a quirky humor and some slightly-askewed opinions, but never doubt she writes from the heart.

ANTICIPATING 2024

Posted Wednesday, December 27, 2023, at 9:29 AM

Anticipating 2024 is …

*Peeking through cracks in a door still closed. I recall questions for 2023 I posed.

*Putting the cart before the horse. Impossible to know the details, of course.

*Realizing much this year was gained and lost. No way to measure heartfelt costs.

*Knowing it’s a dazzling blank slate. Do I really believe in the ‘hand of fate’?

*Pondering the silly and preposterous, then retreating from all the rowdy fuss.

*Planning my next summer’s birthday trip, then pulling it off without a blip.

*Picturing me skinny, with locks short or long? To hold more joy, will my heart stay strong?

*Trading my car for one bright red? Or giving old faithful TLC instead?

*Praying for family and friends near and far. Better than wishing upon a star.

*Surmising who’ll move on and who’ll remain. Meeting new folks is always my gain.

*Imagining beds of fabulous flowers, with plenty of sun and just enough showers.

*Taking care not to have hazardous slips. Rushing is unkind to boomers’ hips.

*Finding magical books to read and share, with coffee and cats and time to spare.

*Continuing to learn and hopefully grow. I’m far from knowing how much I don’t know!

*Contemplating adventures on an intriguing cruise ship and counting exotic wines I’ll sip.

*Wondering who’ll have fortune abound. I’ll be happy to still be around.

*Scratching my head about cats at the door. They can’t come in. I already have four.

*Publishing a fearless first work of fiction? I dunno, it seems quite an abstraction.

*Switching to life as a new minimalist? That’s probably mostly impossible-ist.

*Vowing to keep careful track of AI, though continued infiltration daily I spy.

*Committing to writing this Close to Home column,

with wacky wild words both comical and solemn.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!